Once Upon - Tim Vernon

Tottenham Hotspur (Spurs) Football Club is located in North London. The club is also known as Spurs. Tottenham's home ground is White Hart Lane. The club motto is Audere est Facere (To dare is to do).

I became a Spurs fan in 1962. At 6 years old and with my brother 2 years my senior, it was the first FA Cup Final that I can remember. I don't remember the match, just the occasion. From then on I followed my brother and have been a dovoted Spurs supporter since.

Jimmy Greaves was my all time hero. Quite frankly he has to go down as one of the greatest players the world has ever seen, ranking alongside Pele (the graetest of them all), Maradona, Cruyff etc. His goalscoring record is unequalled in British football. Although I had Tottenham shirts as a child , I didn't get to see my idols very often.

My father had been a rugby player and had little interest in football, but I must have badgered him to death, because he eventually took me to Filbert Street to see Spurs play at Leicester in the mid sixties. All I can remember is standing at the front watching Jimmy Greaves score twice as we ran out 3-1 winners.

The Leicester trip became an annual event and I do remember going to Coventry once. It was not until I was an adult and had my own transport that I finally went to White Hart Lane. I have been to many great matches, UEFA Cup Final 2nd leg when we won on penalties, the 1981 FA Cup Final replay and most cup finals since.

I have managed to brainwash both my daughters and especially my son into supporting the Spurs. By coincidence, the first FA Cup Final my son can remember was 1991, the 'Gascoigne Final' when we beat Nottingham Forest.

He was hooked from then and his hero was Gary Lineker, a striker almost as good as Greaves. Some may say that you have to be a masochist to support Tottenham, and although it can be frustrating at times, I still love the way we play and will continue to do so.